US Destroyers in Action, vol. 2

The Revolutionary War naval hero Captain John Paul Jones must have envisioned the destroyer when he said, "Give me a fast ship, for I intend to go in harm's way. " The destroyer has long been the fastest of warships, designed to protect convoys and the larg­er ships from harm. This vessel type was originally conceived to provide a defensive shield against surface targets; however. World War One brought new challenges in the forms of sub­marines and aircraft.